Betty & Rita's She-Watchables Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jill Southworth
AH-AH!
No, we've not been watching Alan Partridge, but Mike Hodges' masterclass in campery Flash Gordon! The 1980 film and its epic Queen soundtrack are firm favourites of ours and we explain why we love it so much in this month's podcast. And if you think the film's a bit far-fetched, just look at the weather we've been having...
The protagonists in this month’s She-watchable film spend lots of time eating and running, so they’re our kind of people! The 2016 Japanese body swap/time travel animation has been on our hit list for a while, and we’ve managed to get around to it before the Hollywood remake inevitably spoils it for everyone. What would you get up to if you woke up as someone else tomorrow? (Keep it clean please 😄)
After spending a delightful two months she-watching one of our very favourite films we decided we had built up enough resilience to put on our big girl pants and finish the Cornetto Trilogy. Not that The World’s End is an entirely bad film in our opinions, just 66% of one. Will we make it to the end, or will we bale partway through and go for some chips and a kebab? Only one way to find out…
We’re glad you’re with us podlisteners, here, at the end of all things. All the feels going on here at She-watchables HQ as we once again experience the many endings of Peter Jackson’s/Tolkien’s timeless trilogy. We find out about optional orcs, what the Fellowship did next and who is the hardest working hobbit in Hollywood. For Frodo!
We come to it at last...the final part of Peter Jackson's mighty LOTR trilogy! Celebrating 20 years of the magnificent The Return of the King, we chat about long films, Gandalf the action hero and, erm, tomatoes. Saddle up and ride with us into battle, but make sure you save enough lembas bread for the way home...
After a false start last year when watching the Richard Curtis "classic" resulted in Rita getting the flu and being unable to record for posterity her thoughts on said film, we finally got round to it in 2023. We're celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of Love Actually with, well if not love, actually, then a certain amount of affection for those parts of the film which are not morally questionable, fat-shaming or downright misogynistic. Come into our grotto, pour yourself a glass of eggnog and a plate of mince pies and don't worry about your "chubby" thighs until the New Year. Merry Christmas!
Like last month, November's film features a formidable female character who is not to be trifled with, but this month we're going back even further in time to the 1950s to she-watch classic Ealing comedy The Ladykillers. Warning - the film contains scenes of violence, armed robbery, murder and bad singing (but you can still watch it with your mum!).
October has come around so it's time for us to put our big girl pants on and She-watch a horror film. Last Night in Soho is the second Edgar Wright horror we've covered but there are far fewer laughs here than in Shaun of the Dead. Come for the banging 60's soundtrack, fashion and vibe, stay for the seedy underbelly of Soho, the exploitation and murder, and join us in starting the campaign to get Edgar Wright an Oscar!
To "celebrate" the release of Neil Blomkamp's film Gran Turismo this month, we're looking back at his first and arguably (not really) best feature film District 9. It's an accomplished debut with some cracking visual effects that comes with a warning not to mess with any weird alien technology you might come across, or it may totally ruin your birthday.
This month we’re celebrating women’s football by She-watching the 2002 film Bend it like Beckham. It’s a throwback to a time when women were considered to be “not as good as men” at football. Go Lionesses! 🦁🦁🦁
After our harrowing (but entertaining) Trainspotting double bill we needed something to cleanse the palate...or rather, to cover it in marmalade. The 2014 film incarnation of Michael Bond's beloved Paddington may well be the most British film we have she-watched to date and it's a hoot. Our podcast is almost as long as the film so you might want to bring along a marmalade sandwich under your hat in case you get peckish.
A deadly cybernetic organism is charged with protecting John Connor, the future leader of the...wait, no, it's not that T2, but the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 film Trainspotting (which we she-watched last month). Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie are back, albeit with grown-up names and grown-up grudges. Hot take - could this be that rarest of beasts - a sequel that is better than the original? Join us as we choose controversial opinions, favourite scenes and, of course, life.
Inevitably, any podcast concerning itself with mostly British films has to get to one considered by many the best Scottish film ever made. No, not Braveheart. Trainspotting is an occasionally joyful, sometimes devastating but often truthful film about heroin culture in Edinburgh in the 1990s, with a banging soundtrack. With a thousand apologies to its under-appreciated screenwriter Mike Hodge (whose name I simply cannot remember), here are our ramblings on the film an astonishing 27 years after its release. But what film to she-watch next month...?
Feeling inspired by all those athletes running the London Marathon last weekend? No need to put your Asics on (other trainers are available), just sit back and watch someone else do all the running for you whilst you scoff some popcorn. Run Lola Run is a highly influential German film, but most importantly, it's short, it's fun, and makes an excellent argument for subtitles with arguably the worst English dub in cinema.
Think working from home is tough? Try a three-year stint working by yourself on the surface of the moon. This month we take a fresh look at Duncan Jones' 2009 sci-fi film Moon starring - SPOILER - not one, but two Sam Rockwells (that's a good way to spend your limited budget). Blast off with us as we answer the all-important questions "what would annoy you about you?", "are there biscuits on the moon?" and "if you're working on your own, do you need to worry about flatulence?".
So it begins. Or rather, ends. Well, the second part of the second part anyway, it's all very complicated. In this month's podcast we discuss the cold, wet, muddy and lengthy battle of Helm's Deep from the comfort of our armchairs with a nice brew. Will we last the night? Tune in and find out if The Two Towers is actually the highest rated "number two" film on IMDB, or if that accolade is indeed taken by Bad Boys II...
And we're back! Following up on our promise to continue the LOTR saga in 2023, this month we're taking a fresh look at The Two Towers. It's the second in the trilogy, which can be seen as a hindrance - no start and no end - but Toy Story 2 and Godfather 2 make good arguments for middle films. Trek with us through the horror of the Dead Marshes and the endless beauty of New Zealand, but don't forget to bring your condiments!
It's been a sport-filled month and there's no signs of it letting up, so we're celebrating football by rewatching a beautiful film about the beautiful game. Tom Hooper's 2009 film The Damned United gives facts the red card but, Michael Sheen gives it 110% and we were over the moon about going back to the 1970s when curly perms and ashtrays in the dressing rooms were de rigeur. Throw your chips in the bin and join us for a chicken bhuna and a glass of Chateauneuf de Soleil - but definitely no 50:50...
It's the time of year for us to put our big girl pants on and watch a horror film - although in this case the scariest thing in the film is a VERY dirty sink. Polymath Taika Waititi's 2014 mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows spawned an Emmy-bothering series but we're going back to the beginning and she-watching the film featuring the four OG vampires from Wellington NZ. Don't worry, there's no need to be scared (unless you're afraid of housework, or the terrifying prospect of never again being able to eat chips).
This month we're paying tribute to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by she-watching a "crime thriller" about her finest intelligence agents, starring many of her finest subjects. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a criminally underrated (by award ceremonies) film adaptation of the John le Carre novel which rewards re-watching both for the fabulous performances and for the impeccable 1970s decor and hairdos. To paraphrase Kathy Burke's character, I don't know about you, but Tomas Alfredson and Gary Oldman must be feeling seriously under-Oscared!
As if British politics wasn't funny enough at the moment, we've spent some time this month studying how it should be done under the tutelage of Malcolm Tucker. In the Thick of It spin-off film (of sorts) In The Loop he travels to the USA to inflict his particular brand of post-truth communication on the Senate. Prepare to climb the mountain of conflict and discover that seemingly it IS all fair in love and war...
We've journeyed into the wonderful world of Ghibli this month to She-watch the groundbreaking Japanese animation Spirited Away. Come with us into a magical world of spirits, herbal baths and erm...radishes but be careful - don't eat the food or you may never leave!
We're off for a mini-break this month In Bruges, a top destination for all self-respecting hitmen (going by ferry, not risking any pesky Easyjet cancellations). Martin McDonough's black comedy starring Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell is a witty, sweary tale of atonement, justice and existential angst, against a fairytale backdrop of medieval buildings and nice beer. Come along with us on a sightseeing tour and help us answer the big questions in life such as "Is purgatory really like Tottenham FC?", "How have we managed to keep this month's podcast "clean"?" and most importantly, "Is In Bruges a Christmas film?".
In honour of the 50th anniversary of the creation of Aardman Animations, we hatched a plan to she-watch their first full length feature film, Chicken Run. It's one for all the family, so you can even (om)let the kids watch it, and even better, it's currently on Netflix so you don't have to "shell" out any money. If you're in the mood for more terrible puns, shake a tail feather and download this month's podcast!
Do you want to know a secret? We're taking you on a Magical Mystery Tour back to the Swinging Sixties this month. With a little help from her friend Betty, lovely Rita has been watching Beatles classic A Hard Day's Night and here's the resulting podcast full of Things We Said Today (I'll stop that now). Whether you've fond memories of watching it (but possibly not hearing it) in the cinema or is you're young whippersnappers like us (ahem) we hope you'll enjoy our ramblings - they're sent with love from me to you!
Drum roll please! This month we bring you our first foray into foreign language cinema and we're starting with one of the most well-loved. The 2001 French film Amelie stars a host of oddball characters (erm...like every Jean-Pierre Jeunet film) and dashes of magic realism but manages to stay this side of the worst of Wes Anderson. It's a charming romance (but FRENCH, so be careful if you're watching it with your mum!) with a mystery thrown in for good measure. Warning:likely to make you hungry. Appréciez le film!
We conclude our discussion about the first of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films by "Tolkien" about the differences between Rivendell and Lothlorien elves and other non-essential issues. We've run out of breakfast items, but thankfully there's plenty of lembas bread to sustain us on our quest to make our podcast longer than he actual film. Many apologies, "normal" service will be resumed next month...
It's 20 years since the first film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy was released and we wanted to celebrate the fact by making a podcast almost as long as the extended edition of the film! Amazingly we only discuss "disc one" of Fellowship of the Ring this month so please bear with us as we ramble on like a couple of Ents about how much we love this film (and dislike Peter Jackson's "other" Middle Earth saga). You may need extra snacks, or even second breakfast...
As Noddy Holder once said "It's Christmas!" and nothing says Christmas better than a good Nativity, which is exactly what teacher Paul Maddens is attempting to put on in Debbie Isitt's 2009 film. We're sending you all to Coventry this month to explore the true meaning of Christmas...one-upmanship, child abduction and a frankly shocking disregard for health and safety. God bless us, everyone!
Strictly Come Dancing would just be Come Dancing if it weren't for Baz Luhrmann's 1992 glitter-fest Strictly Ballroom, the film that made ballroom dancing cool and made us all want to learn the bogo-pogo. Take your partners and waltz with us this month into the crazy antipodean world of the Pan-Pacific championships, and see where it all began for Australia's most successful director.
We're wimps over here at She-watchables HQ but it is October so that means we have to select from the small horror section of our DVD cabinet. This month we're celebrating the undeniably rewatchable Shaun of the Dead, arguably the high point of Edgar Wright's Cornetto trilogy! Get your pig snacks, grab a cushion to hide behind and don't forget to check that the front door isn't open...AGAIN!
Here at She-watchables HQ we're eagerly awaiting the long-delayed release of No Time to Die, so what better way to whet our whistles than to re-watch Daniel Craig's "audition" for the role of 007? This month's film is a blackly funny, twisty-turny gangster movie starring the creme-de-la-creme of British actors, most of whom have gone on to other franchises, but probably none as big as Bond. Join us as we grab a piping hot pot of tea and a slice of Layer Cake.
We've recorded a podcast by mistake! Finally we've got around to she-watching arguably one of the greatest British comedy films of all time, "Withnail and I", and what better time to do it than in the middle of a rainy British summer? Come with us as we go on a Cumbrian road trip in search of the finest wines available to humanity, whilst avoiding randy bulls (and an even randier Uncle). BYOB!
As we prepare for the return of Parkrun in the UK we take a fresh look at the 2007 Simon Pegg film Run Fatboy Run! We discover what it takes to run a marathon - a grudge against Hank Azariah, a girlfriend to win back, and a personal trainer with a sizeable bet on your finishing the race - plus the best running shoes money can buy (Nikes, apparently, although I prefer Asics).
Euro 2020 is finally upon us in...erm...2021 and there are so many footie-themed films to choose from from our June she-watch! In the end we plumped for "Marvellous" starring Toby Jones, as Neil Baldwin's can-do attitude is just what we need to bring football home this year. You may need a hankie, you'll definitely need biscuits...
Ey up! Whit walks might be cancelled this year but we're making up for it on this month's episode as we She-watch "delightfully entertaining romantic comedy" (©US distributors) BRASSED OFF! Grab your euphonium, park yer bum outside the Collier's Arms and get the lowdown on whether or not it IS possible to play trombone and drink a pint at the same time.
Are you watching closely? It's April (fool) so this month we're bringing you something a little tricksy. Transport yourself back to Victorian England and listen to us discussing the film that launches Christopher Nolan's epic time-bending career - The Prestige! Warning - It's a spoilerific podcast so if you haven't watched the film before, check it out first or risk learning Borden's secret (that's right, he's Welsh).
It’s almost Easter so we’ve been she-watching the heartwarming tale of a snack salesman from Nazareth (It was this or Peter Rabbit). Don’t follow the gourd or the sandal, come follow us as we take a look on the bright side of life!
It's February and love is all around, so we've been watching one of the definitive British rom-coms of the 90s. You are cordially invited to listen in on our Hugh Grant-style ramblings about Four Weddings and a Funeral (or 4WAF, as no-one is calling it). Set your alarm clock and don't be late!
Happy New Year! What better way to start 2021 than with the 1997 Northern feelgood smash The Full Monty? Betty and Rita bare all (not really) and talk about their favourite bits from one of Sheffield's best exports since fancy cutlery. Don't worry, you can leave your hat on.
It's in the singing of a street corner choir! Christmas isn't cancelled and to prove it we've been watching and talking about one of the best family Christmas movies out there (in our opinion!) - The Muppet Christmas Carol. Pour yourself some eggnog and come with us into the past, present and future...!
Remember, remember, the 5th of November...a timely rewatch of the 2005 comic book adaptation starring Hugo Weaving (mostly) and Natalie Portman. Pull up a chair and join us in the shadow gallery for tea and biscuits (and eggy in a basket).
Woooooooo! For our Halloween special we're outside of our comfort zone rewatching a scary classic that at times is a little close for comfort in the current climate! Stock up on Maltesers and Pepsi, make sure all the doors are locked, and enjoy...if you dare!
It's the start of a new term so this month we're discussing John Carney's 2016 film Sing Street, set in a (sort of) fictional school in mid-1980s Dublin. Grab your synth and your legwarmers and don't forget to "Act Manly"!
The first of our new monthly podcasts celebrating (mostly) British films deserving of a rewatch. This month...Edgar Wright's 2007 classic Hot Fuzz!